Most trip dates in 2021 are already sold out, some within minutes of going on sale last year. Travelers interested in possibly rafting the canyon in 2021 are still urged to call Western’s sales office. A few new dates have been added in the spring and cancellations do happen. Getting your name on the waitlist is advised.
The company anticipates that the majority of departures for 2022 Grand Canyon rafting trips will also sell out by the end of this year. Demand just out paces the supply year in and year out.
Two incredible, but lesser-known options to rafting the Grand Canyon include a four-day trip through Cataract Canyon, often referred to as the “The Grand Canyon’s Younger Sister” or a five-day family-oriented journey down Desolation Canyon on the Green River.
“Utah’s Cataract Canyon, deep within Canyonlands National Park, is near enough in scale, appearance and proximity to Grand Canyon that it works the same kind of magic one will find in the Grand herself. Just one canyon upstream on the Colorado River in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park is hands down the best alternative to a Grand Canyon rafting vacation,” explains Brandon Lake, Western’s CMO.
If you’re planning to travel with kids, an option that families often enjoy even more than Grand Canyon, is Desolation Canyon on the Green River, a mellower but equally breathtaking rafting experience. Like Cataract, it also departs from Moab, Utah and has good availability for 2021 and 2022.
For more details on Western River Expeditions’ most popular rafting vacations, please see:
- Grand Canyon – https://www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-rafting. Bookings open Dec. 1, 2020 for 2022 trip dates. 2021 is mostly sold out but there is some space on the shorter 3 and 4-Day Expeditions.
- Cataract Canyon 4-day – https://www.westernriver.com/cataract-canyon-rafting.
- Cataract Canyon 2-day – https://www.westernriver.com/cataract-canyon-express. These adventures through Canyonlands National Park on the Colorado River are rated as one of the best rafting trips in America. Thrilling rapids combine with explorations of ancient Native American sites and dark-sky star gazing.
- Desolation Canyon – https://www.westernriver.com/desolation-canyon. Rates for five days include a spectacular scenic flight from Moab to a dramatic desert plateau where the adventure through 40 million years of geologic history begins. Think outlaw hideouts, ancient dinosaur habitats and Native American petroglyphs. Children as young as 5 years old are welcome.
About Western River Expeditions
Western River Expeditions is an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona. Annually from March through October it escorts more people down rivers on professionally guided rafting trips in Utah, Idaho and Arizona than any other company. It is the largest licensed outfitter in the Grand Canyon and the largest single tour provider in Moab, UT, through its division Moab Adventure Center (http://www.moabadventurecenter.com/).
Western River Expeditions, providing Grand Canyon rafting, Utah and Idaho rafting, and international multi-sport trips, was founded in 1961 by Colorado River rafting pioneer Jack Currey. It has been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine. The company is the proud recipient of the “Best of State” award through Utah’s Premier Recognition and Awards Program for the past sixteen consecutive years (2004-2019).